HLS 16RS-3334 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 105
BY REPRESENTATIVE HAVARD
TRANSPORTATION: Creates the Special Permit Task Force
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To create the Special Permit Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding
3 special permits issued by the Department of Transportation and Development for
4 oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways.
5 WHEREAS, Louisiana law provides for approximately twenty-eight statutory special
6permits which allow for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways, in
7addition to other special permits issued by the Department of Transportation and
8Development pursuant to inter-state agreements; and
9 WHEREAS, the large majority of the special permits issued by the Department of
10Transportation and Development apply to loads that exceed the weight limits ordinarily
11applicable to vehicles traveling on the roads and bridges of this state, as set forth in R.S.
1232:386; and
13 WHEREAS, studies have found that heavy loads, when traversing bridges on the
14state highway system, can produce a significant strain on those bridges, which in turn can
15lead to substantially increased maintenance needs; and
16 WHEREAS, Louisiana has nearly eight thousand bridges on the state highway
17system, more than three thousand of which are past their fifty-year design life, including
18more than three-fourths of state-owned timber bridges; and
19 WHEREAS, historically, the state has struggled to find adequate funds to maintain
20or replace aging bridges on the state highway system, causing an increasing number of state
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1bridges to have to be load posted due to their condition, with the last count of such bridges
2reaching five hundred sixty seven; and
3 WHEREAS, deterioration of state bridges can create risks for the state and the
4traveling public, including the commercial users of those bridges.
5 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
6create the Special Permit Task Force to meet and make recommendations to the legislature
7and the Department of Transportation and Development on actions necessary to accomplish
8the following, as well as any additional recommendations that the task force may find
9beneficial:
10 (1) Consolidate and simplify governing statutes applicable to special permits issued
11by the Department of Transportation and Development for oversize and overweight truck
12movement on state highways.
13 (2) Simplify the application process for special permits issued by the Department
14of Transportation and Development for oversize and overweight truck movement on state
15highways.
16 (3) Increase utilization of technology by the Department of Transportation and
17Development when issuing permits for oversize and overweight truck movement on state
18highways.
19 (4) Increase efficiencies in the Department of Transportation and Development's
20issuance of permits for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways.
21 (5) Adjust the costs of special permits issued by the Department of Transportation
22and Development for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways to fund
23a bridge improvement program that targets deteriorating bridges on state routes of
24significance to commerce in Louisiana.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be comprised of the
26following members:
27 (1) One member shall be the secretary of the Department of Transportation and
28Development, or his designee, who shall be the chairman of the task force.
29 (2) One member shall be the speaker of the House of Representatives, or his
30designee.
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HCR NO. 105
1 (3) One member shall be the president of the Senate, or his designee.
2 (4) One member shall be the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation,
3Highways and Public Works, or his designee.
4 (5) One member shall be the chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation,
5Highways and Public Works, or his designee.
6 (6) One member shall be the superintendent of the office of state police, or his
7designee.
8 (7) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
9 (8) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Forestry Association.
10 (9) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Section, Air and Waste
11Management Association.
12 (10) One member shall be appointed by the American Sugar Cane League.
13 (11) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Motor Transport Association.
14 (12) One member shall be appointed by the Concrete and Aggregates Association
15of Louisiana.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall convene its first meeting by
17August 1, 2016, and shall meet, at a minimum, on a bimonthly basis. At the first meeting the
18task force shall adopt rules of procedure, a work schedule, and any additional measures that
19it deems necessary for the timely performance of its duties.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
21without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be
22individually entitled as members of their respective organizations.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report and
24recommendations to the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and
25public works, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of the Senate, and
26the Department of Transportation and Development no later than February 1, 2017.
27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force will be staffed by Department of
28Transportation and Development for all meetings of the task force.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be submitted to the
30secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, the speaker of the House
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HCR NO. 105
1of Representatives, the president of the Senate, the chairman of the House Committee on
2Transportation, Highways and Public Works, the chairman of the Senate Committee on
3Transportation, Highways and Public Works, the superintendent of the office of state police,
4the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, the Louisiana Forestry Association, the Louisiana
5Section, Air and Waste Management Association, the American Sugar Cane League, the
6Louisiana Motor Transport Association, and the Concrete and Aggregates Association of
7Louisiana.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 105 Original 2016 Regular Session Havard
Creates the Special Permit Task Force to meet and make recommendations to the legislature
and the Dept. of Transportation and Development on actions necessary to accomplish a
number of items related to the issuance of special permits by the Dept. of Transportation and
Development for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways.
Specifies that the Special Permit Task Force shall be composed of the following:
(1)The secretary of the Dept. of Transportation and Development, or his designee, who
shall be the chairman of the task force.
(2)The speaker of the House of Representatives, or his designee.
(3)The president of the Senate, or his designee.
(4)The chairman of the House Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public
Works, or his designee.
(5)The chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public
Works, or his designee.
(6)The superintendent of the office of state police, or his designee.
(7)A member appointed by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
(8)A member appointed by the Louisiana Forestry Association.
(9)A member appointed by the Louisiana Section, Air and Waste Management
Association.
(10)A member appointed by the American Sugar Cane League.
(11)A member appointed by the Louisiana Motor Transport Association.
(12)A member appointed by the Concrete and Aggregates Association of Louisiana.
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